Implement panel’s recommendations or risk strike, union warns UCH

The Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) has threatened to go on strike if the University College Hospital (UCH) fails to implement the Industrial Arbitration Panel’s (IAP’s) recommendations and recall sacked workers.

SSAUTHRIAI President Dr. Benjamin Akintola said yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at a training for members, that the UCH management should act in the interest of peace.

The issues in dispute, which were referred to IAP, include wrongful retirement of 818 UCH staff; reinstatement of 47 typists; payment of terminal benefits to recalled staff; refund of contributory pension fund of N178,804 “illegally” deducted from the salary of the workers and stoppage of further deduction.

Akintola said: “UCH management objected to all the awards, but the Minister of Labour did not see any reasonable point in their objection. Instead of implementing the awards, the management is insisting that the awards not referred should be gazetted before it can act.

“The awards are being processed by the Labour Ministry and very soon, the gazette will be out. The union is urging UCH management to faithfully implement the awards as soon as the gazette is published to avert a strike.”

He said in the last one year, the union had spent over N5 million on litigation regarding members’ harassment from various managements.

Akintola said 76 workers were recalled by their managements after the union’s intervention.

He said SSAUTHRIAI had been having problems since it was registered as a union, adding that the problems have been impeding the group’s progress for over 30 years.

Akintola said: “Our wilderness experience has not been very palatable for both the leadership and the followership. The current leadership has been battling to save the union in the last four years.”

He said the training was its first education programme for national executive officers.

Akintola said: “With this training, our officials will be able to make more tangible contributions to the union’s growth.”